The end of Nazi Nick Griffin
Anindya Bhattacharyya looks back at the years of campaigning that led to Griffin’s downfall. So it’s good riddance to Nazi Nick. He was declared bankrupt in January and kicked out of his Euro seat in May. Now Nick Griffin has been booted out as leader by what’s left of the fascist British National Party. Griffin’s replacement is Adam Walker, a former teacher with a record of violence, bigotry and […]
Football, Anti-Racism and Solidarity – the case of Yorkshire St. Pauli
Chris Webster of Yorkshire St Pauli explains how the Yorkshire fan club of a German football team is challenging oppression and welcoming refugees and asylum seekers to Leeds. This article first appeared in the Northern Star, a bulletin of rs21 supporters in Leeds. The politics connected to St. Pauli is the main reason many of […]
London: Thousands celebrate Algeria’s World Cup success
Across London, thousands celebrated Algeria’s victory against Russia during the World Cup, as Algeria progressed for the first time in its history to the top 16. Mona and Syed report: Crowds packed out Trafalgar Square on 26 June, celebrating into the night. Walthamstow, which has a strong Algerian community, erupted into a spontaneous street festival. Algeria supporters brought drums […]
Tottenham attacks: antifascist vigil attracts 200 in show of unity and defiance
(report and pics from Shanice McBean) Some 200 anti-fascists gathered outside Tottenham town hall in north London on Monday evening following antisemitic attacks by Polish fascist group Zjednoczeni Emigranci on Saturday. The crowd was a healthy mix of local residents plus the organised left including Unite Against Fascism and Anti Fascist Network, This turnout at 24 hours’ notice is positive sign […]
Six pointers for antifascists after the 21 June attacks in Tottenham
See also: Antifascist vigil attracts 200 in show of unity and defiance On Saturday night a free music festival in Tottenham, north London, was violently attacked by a racist gang targeting audience members in general and, judging from media reports, Jews in particular. North London Antifascists has details, including video and evidence pointing to […]
Protesters say ‘Syrian refugees welcome here’
Luke Cooper reports on a day of protests in solidarity with refugees from Syria. The original article appeared on Left Unity, with additional reports on International Socialist Network. Many thanks to Luke for the permission to re-blog. Protesters demonstrated in London, Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow and Oxford on the 16th June over the government’s response […]
UKIPwatch: Nasty Nigel in Norfolk
Nick O’Brien, from anti-racist group We Are Norwich, reports on Norfolk, where Labour and the Greens held on in Norwich, but in the surrounding area UKIP made gains. Over 540, 000 people voted for UKIP in the East of England. Their share of the vote in the Eastern region rose to 34.5%, an increase of 14.9%, which meant […]
The Masters, the Pastors and those they tread on: Review of ‘Jimmy’s Hall’ and ‘Quietly’
Jonas Liston sees important statements about Ireland’s present crisis in these examinations of it’s past. Both North and South Ireland have been at the sharp end of capitalism’s current crisis, with all sections of its ruling class arguing for, and delivering neo-liberal austerity on a massive scale. The picture is often grim, with institutionalized sectarianism […]
‘See Them Ah Come, But We Nah Run’ – A view from the ground of campaigning against the National Front
Anti-immigration and racism is on the rise, a racist party is riding the wave and looking like becoming the third party in British politics. Anti-racists and anti-fascists have to stop them. Whilst this might sound familiar, the year is 1978 and the party is the National Front. Colin Revolting remembers being a punk school kid […]
Thousands rally in Belfast and Derry to protest against rising tide of racism
(report by Matt Williamson, picture by Aisling Gallagher) Some 4,000 people gathered in Belfast city centre last Saturday to protest at escalating levels of hate crime and increasing racist rhetoric in mainstream politics. A similar event took place in Derry. The Belfast rally was organised at in two days and marks a sea change in […]
UKIPwatch: Lancashire Tories turn right
Andy Cunningham reports from Lancashire on a divided race between Labour and the racist right. You couldn’t have missed Nigel Farage if you’d taken a drive round Bolton and Bury in the run-up to 22 May elections. His faintly ridiculous but always fury-inspiring face was plastered on every other bill board. UKIP poured resources into south […]
Event: Thanet Freedom Festival, 19 July
A multi-cultural anti-racist community event in the spirit of Love Music Hate Racism. Freedom Festival Lineup Spookasonic Sam Bumble Spyplane Nicola Booth Milky Negro OHHMS Avenge Thee + Naime Snowden Colliery Brass Band Roma Choir (plus 2 more Roma acts) Milos and Niklolas Lucia Xavier Dimitris Michailidis All My Ghosts Darren Barnes GriffAmy Libbi Jaeggi […]
Immigrants are NOT the problem: rs21 North London public meeting (video)
rs21 North London hosts a public meeting with veteran anti-racist campaigner Darcus Howe, Mark Bergfeld, and Ezequiel, a representative of striking SOAS cleaners. Video interview with Darcus Howe available here. Follow rs21 North London on Twitter and Facebook.
Busting immigration myths
Immigration has dominated the discussion in the run up to the European elections on Thursday. Politicians and the media are happy to spread anti-migrant myths, Bunny La Roche seeks out the facts MYTH: Migrants hold down wages FACT There is little evidence that mass migration has significantly driven down wages. Three studies undertaken between 2009-2011 […]
Edinburgh: vibrant protest against Farage
Pete Cannell reports: Farage’s public meeting in Edinburgh last night was intended as more than just another publicity stunt. Until this year’s elections UKIP’s impact in Scotland has been minimal. Just a year ago Farage had to run from Edinburgh, unable to find a taxi that would take him to the station. Recent polls, […]
“Our demand is quite simple. We want our freedom.” Protests in UK migration prisons spread
A wave of protests in migration prisons across the UK began on Friday 2nd May.
When will it end? More deaths of refugees in the Aegean
On 5th May 2014, two boats carrying migrants sunk off the coast of the Greek Island of Samos. At least 22 people drowned and another seven missing. They are just the latest victims of Fortress Europe. Sofiane Ait Chalalet and Chris Jones watched the tragedy unfold on Monday morning. On Samos Island we watched another […]
Debate: What should socialists say about the EU?
As UKIP’s popularity continues to rise, we asked Nick Evans and Hanif to discuss what arguments socialists should be making in the run up to the European elections this month. Continue the discussion in the comments section. If you’d like to write a longer piece on the debate, please email us at rs21.submissions@gmail.com Nick: NO […]
“UKIP are quackers”: Farage greeted by protest in Portsmouth
UKIP and Farage can’t expect an easy ride on their speaking tour over the next few weeks.
UKIP and the deadly truth about construction jobs and safety
by Anindya Bhattacharyya and Brian Parkin “EU policy at work. British workers are hit by unlimited cheap labour. Take back control of our country. Vote UKIP 22 May.” A picture of a white, presumably British, construction worker begging for small change. But the real picture in construction is pretty much the opposite of this UKIP election […]
Taking control of the future of the city
What are cities? How do they work? Ruth Lorimer asks basic questions that outline a fresh Marxist approach to grasping what neoliberal capitalism is doing to our urban spaces. Strands running through urban space Cities are inspiring and exciting places to be – but campaigns about housing, public space and gentrification are often not. Why is this? We […]
Who was Blair Peach?
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the killing of Blair Peach by the police. David Renton looks back at Blair Peach’s life as a poet, trade unionist and committed antifascist. Blair Peach was a 33 year old teacher killed on a demonstration on 23 April 1979 at Southall against the National Front. He is one […]
Video interview with Darcus Howe
Darcus Howe takes us through his life as a black activist and revolutionary, guiding us though a history of resistance to racism, imperialism and state oppression.
Panic on the streets of Birmingham?
Andrew N, Birmingham NUT executive member (personal capacity), argues that the left needs to stand against Islamophobes and reject media scapegoating Photo: Paul Clarke If you were to believe the headlines in certain Tory papers recently, you would think that schools in Birmingham were being seized by Muslim radicals on a daily basis.”Gove declares war […]
UKIP – just another bunch of control freaks.
The recent successes of Nigel Farage and UKIP should leave anti-racists, anti-homophobes and workers concerned with their rights worried. However the ideological pillars of UKIP are rotten. Their claims to liberty and freedom are topsy-turvy, founded on the vilification of migrants and taking away their liberty. Luke Evans rips apart Farage’s hypocrisy, and the flawed thinking he relies on. […]
rs21 Political Weekend: Racism, old and new
Mitch Mitchell reports on a discussion at rs21’s political weekend on contemporary racism and the dynamics of Islamophobia and anti-migrant politics.
Surge in support for fascists in French elections
Iris Cohen analyses the background to the the recent gains made by the far right in France in advance of today’s second round of voting.
Racism, austerity and revolution: rs21 north London meeting
Watch the rs21 meeting in Tottenham featuring Estelle (rs21), Bianca (Left Unity), Jennifer (Justice for Mark Duggan) and Bat (rs21), including discussions and summary.
#m22: Thousands march again racism in Greece
The government’s racist policies that lead to the tragic deaths of immigrants trying to enter Greece hoping to build a better life make the building of a strong anti-racist movement extremely urgent.
London #m22 demo: Sunshine and strong turnout from newly organised migrant communities
The anti-racist movement has a lot of work to do if it is to get fit for purpose. We all have to play a part in that.